In order to select the best sources of information required, ask yourself:

• What kind of information am I looking for?
• Which sources of information would best “fit” that need?

Different sources are published for different reasons and by different types of publishers. The information you are seeking is going to be used for a particular reason, so not all types of sources will have the best information for that need. When academic research is being performed, the highest quality sources should be used.

Primary and Secondary Sources

The University of Maryland Library explains the differences between primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information and lists examples of each kind. In general, primary sources are original documents from the time period being researched on which other research is based. Secondary sources are written after the fact and contain analysis and interpretation. Tertiary sources are collections of primary and secondary sources.

Formats

Some sources of information are in a print format and have been published by companies that considered the author(s) reliable in their field of expertise. Self-published work may be less authoritative, similar to web site content.

Magazine and journal publishers sell electronic versions to companies that distribute them in databases subscribed to by libraries and academic institutions. The full-text versions can then be read from a computer screen by library patrons, students, and faculty.

Many books are also available in electronic formats and can be downloaded from libraries or purchased from online book sellers. No matter what the format, the information source has the same advantages or disadvantages, depending on what kind of information is needed.

Newspapers

• Examples: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, La Opinion
• Audience: General public
• Coverage: Any subject of interest; newsworthy events; local coverage
• Written by: Professional journalists; some articles contributed by specialists
• Timeliness: up-to-date coverage (one-half-day to a week)
• Length: fifty to two thousand words
• Content: Dependent upon the type of article: analysis, statistics, graphics, photographs, editorial opinion; no bibliography or list of sources
• Slant: Tends to be mainstream/neutral but may be devoted to a particular type of news and offer sections that offer opinions on issues.

Use newspapers for information related to events, statistics, issues, etc., especially if you need recent information on a topic.

• Local statistical information, such as the number of children growing up in single-parent homes in Los Angeles or the divorce rate in New York
• Local coverage, such as information on how the Los Angeles City Council has addressed the issue of welfare for single women with children
• A recent story about single parents with AIDS

Magazines

• Examples: Time, Life, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Popular Science
• Audience: General public to knowledgeable layperson
• Coverage: Popular topics; current affairs
• Written by: Professional journalists; not necessarily specialists in the field; poets and writers o fiction, essayists
• Timeliness: Very current coverage (one week to several months)
• Length: 250 to five thousand words
• Content: General discussion; editorial opinion; graphics; photographs; advertisements; usually no bibliography or list of sources
• Slant: May reflect the editorial bias/slant of the magazine

Try a magazine for popular topics of interest, opinion articles, analysis and more extensive reporting on issues, events or discoveries.

• A cover story on the state of marriage in the US
• An opinion essay on latchkey children
• Profiles and rankings of Fortune 500 companies with the best childcare programs and benefits

Journals

• Examples: American Political Science Review, Journal of the American Medical Association, American Sociological Review, Journal of Psychology
• Audience: Scholars, specialists, and students
• Coverage: Research results, frequently theoretical in nature
• Written by: Specialists in the field; usually scholars with PhDs
• Timeliness: Current coverage (six months - three years )
• Length: 2,500 to ten thousand words
• Content: Detailed examination; statistical analysis; graphics; bibliography usually included
• Slant: Supposed to present objective/neutral viewpoint; may be difficult to comprehend because of technical language or jargon; often sponsored by professional associations

Try a journal for expert analysis of specific topics relating to a professional or academic subject area.

• Case studies of children growing up in single-parent homes
• Comparison study of economic stability in single-father versus single-mother homes
• Psychological analysis of children who experience bitter custody battles

Books

• Examples: College Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Wealth Without Risk, DOS for Dummies, Closing of the American Mind
• Audience: Ranges from the general public to specialists
• Coverage: ranges from in-depth coverage of a topic to introductory material; may be a compilation of scholarly articles on a topic.
• Written by: Specialists / scholars / educational writers
• Timeliness: Currency varies (two years plus)
• Length: usually more than 150 pages.
• Content: varies from general discussion to detailed analysis; usually includes extensive bibliography
• Slant: Perspective entirely dependent on author; may be sponsored or published by professional associations

Look for books when you want more information than articles have. They often include the author’s personal analysis of a subject and are used for the same types of information as magazines and journals but are not published as quickly or as frequently. Reference books are collections of factual information with articles written by different authors or contributed by editors. Reading levels for books vary widely, along with depth of coverage.

World Wide Web

• Examples: Welcome to the Whitehouse Scholarly Societies Project Ladies Against Women
• Audience: General public; children to senior citizens; knowledgeable layperson; scholars; anyone
• Coverage: Popular topics; personal information; current affairs; government information; research; scholarly information; fun and games; and more
• Written by: Anyone, including professional journalists, children, high school students, members of the general public, scholars and researchers, poets and writers of fiction, essayists, college students, advocates and activists, and others
• Timeliness: Varies wildly: may be very current coverage, very out-of-date, or undated
• Length: Can vary greatly
• Content: Anything, including general discussion, editorial opinion, graphics, photographs, advertisements, statistical analysis, detailed analysis, fact, fiction, fraud, and more
• Slant: Varies; may reflect the editorial bias/slant of the creator, may be objective or neutral, may be geared for academic or professional audiences, may be unsupported personal opinion.

Search the web for information after you've exhausted more consistently authoritative sources in print or in databases. Web sites require more time and effort to qualify their publishers and authors as reliable and authoritative.

Media

Today, we have access to a full range of graphics, photos, animation, maps, videos and audio media that provide information in even more formats. There are collections online, image databases, and search engines that will comb the Internet to find media on web sites. These may be incorporated into a research presentation, but citation rules apply to them just as much as to textual information.

This document was modified from the original on UCLA's Library website at: http://www2.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/11605_11668.cfm originally accessed 6/6/2011